Battle over Krishna: Kerala CPI(M) is trying to lure cadres away from Sangh's Janmashtami event

Will renaissance mantras help the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala counter the Sangh Parivar, which has been using Hindu rituals and symbols to try to entice the proletariat into its fold?

The next showdown between the political rivals will occur on the Sree Krishna Jayanti (birthday of Lord Krishna) celebration on Wednesday.

The CPI (M) has accused the Sangh of bringing religion into the public sphere with its Shobha Yatra, the annual pageant organised on Krishna Jayanti by an RSS-backed children’s outfit Balagokulam.

Scores of children dressed up as little Krishnas and gopikas will march in processions across the state on Wednesday. In previous years, the Krishna bhajans and tableaux depicting mythological tales that are part of the event have drawn believers cutting across political party lines.

With an aim to stop party sympathisers from attending the Balagokulam event, the CPI (M) has decided to organise a procession on the same day that will mark the beginning of a five-day campaign against communalism and religious extremism.

Taking it to the streets

However, CPI (M) leaders maintained that the party does not oppose Sree Krishna Jayanti. “Believers find it auspicious to perform puja on that day," said P Jayarajan, the CPI (M)'s Kannur district secretary. "We are not against believers. But we oppose bringing beliefs to the streets. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is dictating terms for the Balagokulam event. It takes children to the streets with political motives."

He said the campaign aims to spread renaissance ideas. He said that the party was celebrating the centenary of the famous proclamation by by social reformer Sree Narayana Guru: "namukku Jathi Illa (we have no caste). The party was also marking the birthdays of reformers, Ayyankali on August 24, and Chattambi Swamy on August 28.

"While the Sangh is trying to divide the society, the CPI (M) is attempting to heal the wounds,” Jayarajan said.

The CPI (M)’s decision to organise a campaign on the same day as the Shobha Yatra must be seen in the light of the party’s recent analysis of the Assembly election results, in which the CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front regained power with 91 seats. The report had expressed concern over the BJP's electoral gains in all the 14 districts. It also urged the leadership to start strong campaigns against Sangh Parivar’s religious-based agenda.

Jayarajan said the CPI (M) would fight communalism perpetrated by Hindu or Islamic outfits. “Sree Krishna Jayanti is the best example of how Sangh fanatics are trying to communalise society," he said. "We know that Islamic extremism too is on the rise. CPI (M) will fight all forms of communalism.”

The party had tried to steal Sangh Parivar’s thunder when it organised its own version of Sree Krishna Jayanti in 2015, under the banner of its own children’s organisation, Balasangam. Though the party had maintained that the processions were organised to mark the culmination of week-long Onam celebrations, it drew a lot of flak as it paraded little Krishnas in the streets.

Fears of violence

As the two highly-publicised events are set to take place on August 24, fears of violence have cropped up in places like Kannur that had witnessed long political clashes between CPI (M)-BJP, which claimed scores of lives from both sides.

On Saturday, a BJP worker was killed in the region, apparently while making bombs in his home. The CPI (M) alleged that the incident exposed the BJP’s plan to create tension during the Sree Krishna Jayanti celebrations.

But BJP state general secretary, MT Ramesh, told Scroll.in that the CPI (M) is organising these parallel events to mark the Sree Krishna Jayanti because it is finding it difficult to hold its cadres together with the "outdated philosophies of communism".

“The CPI (M) is threatened by the spiritual awakening among Hindu community, and that is why they are trying to imitate Balagokulam’s pageantry," Ramesh claimed. "I am sure that it will be counter-productive.”

But he is of the opinion that attracting CPI (M) workers alone will not strengthen BJP in Kerala. “Plenty of CPI (M) workers join our party. It is not enough to strengthen BJP. Our ultimate aim is to weaken Congress in line with our national leadership’s goal.”